Thanks. I'll call and see what they say. I dont think they will give you birth control without a papsmear though.

It is very common. They estimate maybe even 5-10% of women have it. It is the most common cause of infertility.

Do you know if treatment/medication/whatever they do for it helps your chances of fertility? I am fairly sure I have PCOS (have never really had regular periods, and usually don't have them at all) but I haven't been treated. I have spoken with my dr. about it and am hoping to have a papsmear (OMG I'm so scared!) when I can afford it.

Do you know if treatment/medication/whatever they do for it helps your chances of fertility? I am fairly sure I have PCOS (have never really had regular periods, and usually don't have them at all) but I haven't been treated. I have spoken with my dr. about it and am hoping to have a papsmear (OMG I'm so scared!) when I can afford it.

There are tons of treatments, and plenty of people with PCOS have kids. The cheapest, simplest treatment is metformin. Even if you don't have insurance, it's on most $4 drug lists. If you are trying to get pregnant, there are other medications and supplements that can be added in as well. I just haven't researched that because I'm sort of happy to be infertile lol (not that I've ever had or ever will have sex, but still...if I get raped, my odds of getting pregnant are slim to none )

Do you know if treatment/medication/whatever they do for it helps your chances of fertility? I am fairly sure I have PCOS (have never really had regular periods, and usually don't have them at all) but I haven't been treated. I have spoken with my dr. about it and am hoping to have a papsmear (OMG I'm so scared!) when I can afford it.

For what it's worth, I just went to my doctor and he said it usually (as in half of the percentage that has it: from 10% to 4%) after the age of 25-30. He seemed very unconcerned with me being able to have children. Granted, this was my first appointment with him and he did not do a pap smear, but it seemed more of a "I've seen this a lot and it's just not a big issue" instead of "You have no idea what you're talking about. Here's some BC."

There are so many options these days and, for me, knowing that this might not be a lifelong problem helped a lot. Even if it is, serious cases of infertility seem rare. (Of course I'm not a doctor so take all of this with a grain of salt.)

I'd Much rather deal with going in for a pap smear every few years than cancer. Just sayin'.

Definitely every few years. Just not every year for me.

The age they say you should start is 21 and I've been getting them since I was 16, my doctor said at this age the chance of something developing and spreading/growing too much to be fixable in a few years span between Pap smears is about zero. As I get older he says he definitely recommends them because it becomes more and more common.

Do you know if treatment/medication/whatever they do for it helps your chances of fertility? I am fairly sure I have PCOS (have never really had regular periods, and usually don't have them at all) but I haven't been treated. I have spoken with my dr. about it and am hoping to have a papsmear (OMG I'm so scared!) when I can afford it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saeleofu

There are tons of treatments, and plenty of people with PCOS have kids. The cheapest, simplest treatment is metformin. Even if you don't have insurance, it's on most $4 drug lists. If you are trying to get pregnant, there are other medications and supplements that can be added in as well. I just haven't researched that because I'm sort of happy to be infertile lol (not that I've ever had or ever will have sex, but still...if I get raped, my odds of getting pregnant are slim to none )

Yes there are lots of treatments for having children. Check out soulcysters.com forums. There's lots of stories there about PCOS and pregnancy and PCOS and.... everything else.

Met is the most common drug and chlomid too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airn

For what it's worth, I just went to my doctor and he said it usually (as in half of the percentage that has it: from 10% to 4%) after the age of 25-30. He seemed very unconcerned with me being able to have children. Granted, this was my first appointment with him and he did not do a pap smear, but it seemed more of a "I've seen this a lot and it's just not a big issue" instead of "You have no idea what you're talking about. Here's some BC."

There are so many options these days and, for me, knowing that this might not be a lifelong problem helped a lot. Even if it is, serious cases of infertility seem rare. (Of course I'm not a doctor so take all of this with a grain of salt.)

A lot of doctors will shrug off PCOS, unfortunately. It's really NOT a minor deal, at least for a lot of people who have to deal with side effects. However, there are a lot of doctors that just don't know much about it or will tell you to just walk 15 mins a day.

It is very frustrating and I know I'm not the only person frustrated that has it.

I know someone who had PCOS, she wanted kids (eventually) but doctors told her that it was unlikely she would ever conceive & there was "nothing they could do for her". Her periods were very irregular & unpredictable ... She is now 8 months pregnant, so it is possible to have kids with PCOS.

__________________If there are any typos, it means I am on my phone LOL

And considering I developed a bad UTI after my last pap smear...I am most likely going to request I have them done every 3 years from now on.

ETA: Still think it is perfectly reasonable for doctors to want to perform a physical exam yearly, especially before prescribing any medication. (And I have no issue if that physical exam includes a pelvic/breast exam.)
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My rant:
I'm hot, I'm tired, I have a headache because the stupid dog doesn't understand how to play without barking his idiot had off in the loudest booming barks possible, and I don't get a day to relax tomorrow. Also, it is supposed to storm on Wednesday, the ONE day I have off to go tan.